11PM ET 12/17/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 11PM ET 12/17/2025 Newscast

Host: FOX News Podcasts
Air Date: December 18, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a fast-paced roundup of top national news stories, highlighting President’s end-of-year address focused on economics, new developments in high-profile criminal investigations, legislative updates, and legal proceedings involving well-known figures.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Presidential End-of-Year Address & Economic Outlook

• Main Points:

  • President claims his policies are reversing economic hardships and promises improved financial prospects for Americans in the new year.
  • He asserts that prices are coming down after years of high costs and declining incomes.
  • The president attributes current economic challenges to the prior (Biden) administration.
  • Promises to lower interest rates by appointing a new Federal Reserve Chair.

• Key Quotes:

  • [00:21] President: “You will see in your wallets and bank accounts in the new year. After years of record setting falling incomes, our policies are boosting take home pay at a historic pace.”
  • [00:36] President: “11 months ago I inherited a mess and I'm fixing it.”

• Additional Reactions:

  • Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL): Praises the president's accomplishments.
    • [00:52] “What he has accomplished in just these first 10, 11 months is remarkable, but I think more is yet to come.”
  • Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY): Counters the president’s narrative, citing rising unemployment and burdensome tariffs.

2. International and Domestic Crime Updates

• Drug Smuggling Interdiction:

  • [01:04] U.S. military sinks another suspected drug boat in the eastern Pacific—the 26th such incident this year. Four individuals were killed aboard.

• Nick Reiner Double Homicide Case:

  • [01:26] First court appearance after arrest; Reiner is on suicide watch, arraignment postponed to January 7th.
    • Jonathan Hunt (Reporting): “He was brought into court wearing a suicide prevention smock. He sat there shackled as well. He only spoke once when the judge addressed him about the delay in the arraignment.”
  • LA County Coroner confirms Rob and Michelle Reiner were fatally stabbed.

• Brown University Shootings:

  • [02:32] Providence police seek a second person of interest in murders of two students, with nine others injured.
  • [02:38] Tanya J. Powers: Police appeal for help identifying a person seen near the main suspect, suspect may have scoped the scene before the attack. FBI offers $50,000 reward.
    • “Investigators... say this person was, quote, in proximity of the person of interest in the shooting... The search for the shooter is ongoing.”

• MIT Professor Shooting:

  • [03:17] The manhunt continues for the gunman who killed an MIT professor earlier in the week.

3. Congressional Health Care Legislation

• [03:28] The House passes a health care bill to improve care quality, access, flexibility, and add transparency—particularly for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs).
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson:
    • “It increases the quality of care, the access to care. It gives persons more options, more flexibility in their health care, and also it adds transparency.”
• The bill excludes extension of ACA premium subsidies, but Democrats (with four GOP allies) push the issue to the House floor through a discharge petition.

4. Legal and Justice System News

• Ghislaine Maxwell’s Appeal:
  • [03:42] Maxwell asks judge to overturn her conviction, citing alleged constitutional violations and new evidence.
• FBI Leadership Change:
  • Dan Bongino, noted for disputes with AG Bondi over Epstein files, to resign as Deputy Director of the FBI next month.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• President:

  • [00:21] “You will see in your wallets and bank accounts in the new year... our policies are boosting take home pay at a historic pace.”

• Sen. Katie Britt:

  • [00:52] “What he has accomplished in just these first 10, 11 months is remarkable, but I think more is yet to come.”

• Jonathan Hunt:

  • [01:26] “He was brought into court wearing a suicide prevention smock. He sat there shackled as well.”

• Tanya J. Powers:

  • [02:38] “Police are asking the public to review security or phone footage from the week before the attack...”

• House Speaker Mike Johnson:

  • [03:28] “It increases the quality of care, the access to care. It gives persons more options, more flexibility in their health care, and also it adds transparency.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02–01:04: President’s address and economic policies; political reactions
• 01:04–01:47: Crime crackdown at sea; Nick Reiner court appearance
• 02:32–03:17: Brown University and MIT shooting investigations
• 03:28–03:42: House health care bill specifics and Democrat response
• 03:42–04:28: Updates on Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal and FBI leadership

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This episode provides a rapid but thorough overview of critical national issues, balancing major economic policy updates with in-depth coverage of developing criminal cases and legislative moves in Washington. Listeners receive a concise briefing on the latest headlines, complete with direct remarks from key public figures and reporters.

Transcript

[Jack Callahan]

This is a FOX News alert. The president promises an economic boom. I'm Jack Callahan, FOX News. In his end of the year address tonight from the White House, the president.

[Unnamed FOX News Reporter]

Said the high prices Americans have been seeing with groceries and other goods are coming down. And through his efforts, families will have more money to spend.

[President]

You will see in your wallets and bank accounts in the new year. After years of record setting falling incomes, our policies are boosting take home pay at a historic pace.

[Unnamed FOX News Reporter]

The president blamed many of the country's financial woes on the Biden administration.

[Jack Callahan]

FOX is Gernall Scott. The president said 11 months ago I inherited a mess and I'm fixing it. He also promised interest rates in the new year will come down by a lot when he appoints a new chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. Alabama Republican Senator Katie Britt. Reacting to the president's speech, he very.

[Ainsley Earhart]

Clearly said to the American people, I see you and look at the things that we've done. What he has accomplished in just these first 10, 11 months is remarkable, but I think more is yet to come.

[Jack Callahan]

Prior to the speech, Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer said the president can say what he wants, but he claimed unemployment is rising and tariffs are taxing everyone. Another suspected drug smuggling boat has been sunk by the US military, the 26th such attack, this time in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The Pentagon says four people aboard that boat were killed. Accused double murderer Nick Reiner in court today.

[Jonathan Hunt]

It was the first time we have seen Nick Reiner since he was arrested on Sunday. He was brought into court wearing a suicide prevention smock. He sat there shackled as well. He only spoke once when the judge addressed him about the delay in the arraignment.

[Jack Callahan]

Fox's Jonathan Hunt Reiner will not have to enter a plea until January 7th. The LA County Coroner confirming today Rob and Michelle Reiner were stabbed to death. America is listening to Fox News.

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[Jack Callahan]

Police in Providence, Rhode island are now seeking a second person of interest in the Brown University murders.

[Tanya J. Powers]

Investigators with the Providence police are asking for help from the public saying they're trying to identify and question the person. In newly released photos. They say this person was, quote, in proximity of the person of interest in the shooting that took the lives of two Brown University students on Saturday and injured nine others. The search for the shooter is ongoing. Police are asking the public to review security or phone footage from the week before the attack to help investigators identify the suspect, believing the person may have cased the scene ahead of time. A $50,000 reward is being offered by the FBI for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the shooting. Tanya J.

[Jack Callahan]

Powers, FOX News the search also continues for the gunman who shot an MIT professor to death on Monday. The House has passed a health care bill, House Speaker Mike Johnson.

[Mike Johnson]

It increases the quality of care, the access to care. It gives persons more options, more flexibility in their health care, and also it adds transparency. We had the PBM Pharmacy Benefit manager transparency piece to it as well.

[Jack Callahan]

What the bill does not include is an extension to the subsidies to help offset Affordable Care act premiums. But Democrats, joined by four House Republicans, have passed a discharge petition to bring the issue of the subsidies to the House floor. Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend and longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, has asked a federal judge to set aside her sex trafficking conviction and free her from a 20 year prison sentence. Maxwell claims substantial new evidence has emerged proving that constitutional violations spoiled her trial. Dan Bongino, who clashed with Attorney General Bondi over the handling of the Epstein files, will resign as deputy director of the FBI effective next month. I'm Jack Callahan and this is FOX News.

[Ainsley Earhart]

This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series the Life of.

[Podcast Narrator]

Jesus, a listening experience that will provide hope, comfort and understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts.